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When you’re looking for the best credit cards for your upcoming travel, don’t assume they’re the ones with the biggest annual fee or made from the heaviest material; there are plenty of less-flashy travel credit cards that’ll suit you perfectly — and they don’t even charge an annual fee.
If you’re a frequent traveler, you probably will be better off applying for a credit card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card annual fee) for its various statement credits, top-tier travel insurance, and other valuable benefits. But if you’re just discovering the world of miles and points, a no-annual-fee travel credit card can be the perfect introduction. There’s no risk in applying, since the cards are free to open.
We’re focused here on the rewards and perks that come with each card. These cards won’t be worth it if you’re paying interest or late fees. When using a credit card, it’s important to pay your balance in full each month, make payments on time, and only spend what you can afford to pay.
The Best Travel Credit Cards with No Annual Fee
The 5 Best No-Annual-Fee Travel Credit Cards of March 2023
Chase Freedom Flex℠ – Product Name Only: Best for earning flexible points with no annual feeIHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card – Product Name Only: Best for travel insurance with no annual feeHilton Honors American Express Card – Product Name Only: Best hotel credit card with no annual feeAmerican Airlines AAdvantage MileUp℠ Mastercard – Product Name Only: Best airline credit card with no annual feeInk Business Cash® Credit Card – Product Name Only: Best small business credit card with no annual fee
Methodology
We reviewed dozens of no-annual-fee credit cards with a particular focus on travel, and narrowed our focus to cards that offer more than 1 point or mile per dollar on at least one category of purchase. We also looked at welcome bonuses, rewards caps, and other fine print to match our picks with the travelers who would find these cards most useful, whether that’s business travelers, vacationers looking for an affordable flight, or anyone looking to save money on a trip.
See our full methodology for how we rate credit cards »
Best No Annual Fee Travel Credit Cards FAQs
Are no annual fee travel credit cards worth it?
No-annual-fee credit cards can be surprisingly valuable in the right hands. Yes, cards with annual fees will come with more sparkly benefits (annual statement credits, airport lounge access, etc.), but there are areas in which some no-annual-fee credit cards outshine cards with annual fees breaching $100.
Even something as simple as waiving foreign transaction fees could save you hundreds of dollars during a single trip, depending on how much money you spend.
What is the best no annual fee credit card for international travel?
From the above list, the best credit card for international travel is likely to be the IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card for a couple of reasons. First, the card does not charge a foreign transaction fee, so you won’t get stung with extra charges when you use it overseas.
Plus, the card comes with lots of travel insurance that will come in handy during your international travel. For example, you’ll receive primary rental car insurance when traveling abroad. To get this coverage, you’ll have to reserve your rental car with the IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card.
How do I pick a no annual fee travel credit card?
Here are the top three things you should consider when looking for the perfect no-annual-fee travel credit card:
How fast can you earn points? Many cards offer sizeable welcome bonuses and lots of bonus points for common expenses like grocery shopping and at restaurants.How useful are the points to you? A hotel credit card may offer a huge welcome bonus, but it won’t do you much good if your primary goal is a free rental car. Also, if you suspect that a certain type of points may be too difficult to redeem, you may opt for an easier-to-understand currency, even if the card’s welcome offer and bonus categories aren’t as generous. Will you use the card’s ongoing perks? A credit card’s benefits are usually directly proportional to its annual fee. No-annual-fee credit cards won’t often confer a jaw-dropping list of benefits, but they can be more than sufficient for someone who’s just starting their travel credit card journey — and for a veteran in the points and miles world, they can be a great complement to other annual fee-incurring cards.
Best Credit Card for Earning Flexible Points with No Annual Fee
Chase Freedom Flex℠
The Chase Freedom Flex℠ comes with a welcome bonus offer of Chase Freedom Flex℠.
Chase almost seems to go out of its way to frame the Chase Freedom Flex℠ as a cash-back credit card. It doesn’t actually earn cash back, though. It earns Chase Ultimate Rewards® points, which you can redeem for cash at a rate of 1 cent each.
However, you can convert these points into valuable airline miles and hotel points if you also hold one of the following cards:
Chase Sapphire Preferred® CardChase Sapphire Reserve®Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Insider estimates that Chase points are worth an average of 1.8 cents each when you transfer them to travel partners like Hyatt, United Airlines, Singapore Airlines, etc. They can be worth a lot more, too, if you are strategic in the way that you use them. Read our guide to earning and using Chase Ultimate Rewards points to learn how to get the most from your points.
Chase points are some of the most versatile and easy-to-use travel rewards, and the Chase Freedom Flex℠ earns them at an extremely high rate. Here’s what you’ll get:
5% cash back (5x points) on travel purchased through Ultimate Rewards5% cash back (5x points) on up to $1,500 in purchases each quarter in rotating bonus categories when you activate3% cash back (3x points) on dining and drugstore purchases1% cash back (1x points) on everything else
The Chase Freedom 5x categories are usually for very common purchases. For the first quarter of 2023 (January through March) they are grocery stores, Target, and fitness club/gym memberships. And for the second quarter (April through June) the categories are Amazon.com and Lowe’s.
To boot, this card comes with decent travel insurance, such as secondary rental car insurance, trip cancellation and interruption insurance, and travel/emergency assistance services.
The Chase Freedom Flex℠ is one of the best cards for racking up travel rewards for your upcoming trip — but it’s not especially useful during your trip. You’ll pay a 3% foreign transaction fee for any spending outside the US.
Chase Freedom Flex credit card review
Best Credit Card for Travel Insurance with No Annual Fee
IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card
The IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card is offering an increased welcome bonus of IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card. That’s worth an average of IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card in travel, per Insider’s valuation of IHG points.
The sneakily good feature of this card is its travel insurance. For a no-annual-fee credit card, it’s got a lot of coverage. The following will automatically activate when you pay for your travel with the IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card:
Rental car insurance — When you decline the rental agency’s collision damage waiver (CDW), you’ll get secondary coverage for theft and damage (meaning it’ll cover what your personal insurance policy will not). When traveling internationally, you’ll get primary car rental insurance.Baggage delay insurance — When your baggage is delayed for six hours or more, you can be reimbursed for reasonable expenses like toiletries and clothing, up to $100 per day for up to three days.Lost luggage reimbursement — If you or your immediate family have checked or carry-on luggage that is damaged or lost, you’ll be covered up to $3,000 per passenger per trip. Trip cancellation and interruption insurance — If your vacation needs to be canceled — or if something happens to prematurely end the trip (illness, severe weather, jury duty, etc.), the card can reimburse you up to $5,000 per person and $10,000 per trip for nonrefundable pre-paid travel like airplane tickets, cruises, and hotels.Travel accident insurance — You’ll get up to $500,000 in accidental death or dismemberment coverage during your trip.
That’s a lengthier list of credit card travel insurance than you’re going to find on just about any other no-annual-fee card.
The IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card also comes with other perks that are great for IHG loyalists. For example, you’ll get the fourth night free on any award stay lasting at least four nights. You’ll also receive 10,000 bonus IHG points each calendar year you spend $10,000 on purchases.
IHG Rewards Club Traveler card review
Best Credit Card for Hotels with No Annual Fee
Hilton Honors American Express Card
The Hilton Honors American Express Card offers an elevated welcome bonus of Hilton Honors American Express Card. That bonus is worth around Hilton Honors American Express Card in travel, based on Insider’s valuation of Hilton points. That’s an excellent bonus for a card with no annual fee.
The Hilton Honors American Express Card also comes with the following Hilton-specific benefits:
Automatic Silver elite status — This comes with marginal hotel perks, such as 20% bonus points on stays and free bottled water. The best feature is that it unlocks the ability to get the fifth night free on award stays of five or more consecutive nights.Gold elite status after spending $10,000 in a calendar year — 80% bonus points on stays, room upgrades when available, and free breakfast (or a daily food and beverage credit, depending on where you stay)Solid earning rate — To help you quickly earn enough points for your next free hotel stay, you’ll earn 7 points per dollar at Hilton hotels, 5 points per dollar at eligible US restaurants, US supermarkets, and US gas stations, and 3 points per dollar on all other eligible purchases
One of the best benefits of this card (and of any American Express card, really) is Amex Offers** — targeted statement credits and earning boosts for purchases with select merchants, many of which are extremely common. You can save a meaningful amount of money (or earn lots of bonus points) by regularly monitoring Amex Offers.
It’s also worth mentioning that you’ll get various insurances, such as secondary rental car insurance, purchase protection, and extended warranty protection.
Hilton Honors American Express card review
Best Credit Card for Airlines with No Annual Fee
American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp℠ Mastercard
The American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp℠ Mastercard comes with American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp℠ Mastercard. Those airline miles alone are worth American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp℠ Mastercard, on average, based on Insider’s valuation of American Airlines miles.
The American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp℠ Mastercard over-delivers for a no-annual-fee airline credit card. It’s got benefits that meet (or surpass!) American Airlines credit cards that come with annual fees of up to Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®.
For example, you’ll earn:
2 miles per dollar on American Airlines purchases2 miles per dollar at grocery stores1 mile per dollar for everything else
Grocery purchases are one of the biggest monthly expenses for many of us — and the American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp℠ Mastercard is the only American Airlines credit card that offers bonus points for it.
This card also helps you to earn elite status by awarding Loyalty Points for your spending. You’ll earn 1 Loyalty Point per dollar, which is the same as you’ll earn on all other annual fee-incurring American Airlines credit cards (though the more premium American Airlines cards offer Loyalty Points bonuses after meeting various spending thresholds).
If your aim is to earn American Airlines miles and elite status through everyday spending, this card is a competitor for the top spot in your wallet.
Aside from that, the card has little to offer American Airlines flyers aside from a 25% rebate on inflight purchases such as food and alcohol. The card also charges foreign transaction fees, so if you’re traveling overseas, leave it at home.
Citi American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp card review
Best Credit Card for Small Business with No Annual Fee
Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card comes with an incredible Ink Business Cash® Credit Card.
Similar to the Chase Freedom Flex℠, this card actually earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points which can be redeemed for cash back at a rate of 1 cent per point. Or, you can convert them into airline miles and hotel points if you’ve also got one of these cards:
Chase Sapphire Preferred® CardChase Sapphire Reserve®Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
If the prospect of earning $750 in cash isn’t a big enough prod to open the card, consider that you can get an average of Ink Business Cash® Credit Card in travel by utilizing transfer partners like Hyatt, Air Canada Aeroplan, and British Airways.
The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card is also one of the few no-annual-fee credit cards that offer primary rental car insurance (when renting for business purposes). That’s an extremely rare perk, and one that can save you potentially $15+ per day when renting a car by waiving the rental agency’s CDW.
This is a small business credit card, meaning you’ll need a business venture to qualify. Even something as simple as delivering for Grubhub or Uber Eats, renting your house on Airbnb, or dog sitting via Rover qualifies as a small business.
This card charges a 3% foreign transaction fee, meaning it’s a good card to bring during your domestic travel but not for travel outside the US.
Chase Ink Business Cash Credit Card review